Manchester United have turned their attention away from Atalanta’s Ederson to instead focus on Columbian midfielder Richard Rios, according to reports.
Spanish outlet Fichajes claim that the Palmeiras man has “sparked the interest” of the Red Devils, who are desperate for new options in the middle of the park after a terrible campaign exposed major problems in that position.
The Old Trafford club have long been keen on Ederson and reportedly hold an advantage over Manchester City in the race for his signature, but the Brazilian is one of the options now merely “on the back burner” with their energy directed instead at 24-year-old Rios.
This, Fichajes state, is “a clear intention to renew the heart of the team with young talents with room for growth”.
This may well be true, but it is more likely that it is Rios’s much lower price tag, rather than him being just one year younger than Ederson, which has inspired the change of heart.
He is thought to be available for close to £20m, whereas Atalanta’s asking price for Ederson is over £50m.
But the player would not necessarily be a worse option; according to Fichajes United have looked at other players and Rios has emerged as “the most solid option to reinforce an area in need of fresh legs, energy and projection.”
They report that the Columbian “has gained notoriety for his ability to balance defence and attack”, which is certainly something Ruben Amorim’s side have struggled to do this season.
He is a physical player who is backed to be “well-suited to the Premier League’s breakneck pace”, which has gradually been getting the better of senior options like Casemiro, who now seems to be back on the transfer list.
Rios is seen at Old Trafford “as a player who can contribute from the very beginning, not just as a replacement but as a real solution for a team that has been searching for a solid midfield structure for years.”
His impressive performances in Brazil have caught the attention of several European teams so United would hope to get a deal over the line quickly.
Fichajes indicate that this could happen, touting him as a “first major investment” for the club ahead of Wolverhampton Wanderers attacker Matheus Cunha.
Joe Ponting
Joe has spent more than half his life writing about football and all of it following United. As a child he told a doctor his name was ‘Paul Scholes’, but could never pick a pass like him no matter how much he tried.
